Forgiveness
by Calie1
Summary: Two people that have wronged each other and their friends will only find forgiveness with one another.
1. Chapter 1

Oliver punched the six digit code into Chloe's security system. It had been his idea. If she was going to use her apartment as Watchtower headquarters it was probably best that both she and the information she had was kept safe.

The door clicked and he pushed it open slowly, ready for any kind of attacker. He'd been calling her for the past three hours. After loading up some encrypted files that he'd snagged she'd promised to call him later that night. The call never came.

Her apartment was shrouded in darkness. The only light came from the crack in her curtains. She could have went to bed he supposed, but it wasn't like her not to answer her phone.

As he made his way through the darkness his eyes scanned over everything in her apartment, but nothing seemed to be out of place. It wasn't until he stepped into the hallway that he noticed the light shinning from underneath her office door, the same room that she operated out of.

Once his hand settled on the knob he turned it slowly and pushed the door open. It wasn't until he noticed Chloe slumped over her desk with her head on her arms that he relaxed. Oliver sighed and reached for the light switch, but stopped halfway. There would be no point in scaring the hell out of her.

Instead he quietly closed the distance between them and stopped at her side. There were four monitors on and running, enough light to illuminate the room. He weighed his options as he stared down at her. She'd been at it all night, he could tell. An empty coffee cup sat at her side, her hair pulled back in a messy pony tail, and already dressed for bed. As many times as Oliver had been to her apartment late at night he couldn't ever recall seeing her in pajamas. It was a little disconcerting. It made her look smaller, weaker, innocent. Considering the rough situations she'd found herself in lately he hadn't expected to get that impression.

Oliver reached over and proceeded to turn off all four monitors. Not knowing what it was she was running he decided it would be wise to leave her computers running. The last thing he wanted was to be reamed out by her later for messing with her computers.

Without even letting himself think about what he was doing he wrapped an arm around her back and slid another underneath her knees, lifting her effortlessly into his arms. Her head rolled against him and she moaned softly. Oliver held her close as he slowly made his way out of her office.

"Ollie?"

She never called him that. He looked down to her confused stare. "Who else?" He toed open the door to her room and walked carefully, praying that she didn't have any clothes strewn on the floor that he would trip over.

"What are you doing here?" She said through a rather embarrassing yawn.

"Checking on you." He lowered her to the bed and then proceeded to pull the blankets out from underneath her. "You were supposed to call me and when you didn't answer your phone…" He left the rest hanging, knowing she would be able to fill in the blanks.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even know I fell asleep. You didn't have to come all the way over here." She yawned again and snuggled into her pillow. He pulled the blankets up over her body and she felt sleep starting to take her again.

"Well I never know what kind of trouble you'll find yourself in." Who else was going to keep an eye on her? With Clark gone searching for Lois and on his soul searching mission and Jimmy and Davis dead, who else was going to keep an eye on her. After all, when Clark had come to him right after Jimmy's death, asking Oliver to keep her safe he promised he would.

"Ha, ha." Chloe said sarcastically and turned on her sighed. "You don't have to feel obligated to watch over me. Clark told me to stick close to you. Let me guess, he asked you to watch over poor pitiful Chloe who is incapable of making the right decisions and keeping herself out of trouble."

Oliver sighed and felt his muscles tense. When the blankets lay straitened over her body he placed his hands on either side of her and stared down.

He was waiting for her to say something she knew. All she wanted to do was ignore his hard glare, but his body was invading her personnel space. Eventually she couldn't take it anymore and rolled back onto her back. "Say it."

"Say what? That even though Clark and I aren't on the best of terms he's right?"

"No." Chloe pushed herself up onto her arms and looked him squarely in his face. "That no one trusts me. The whole last year of my life has been one bad decision after another and I think everyone is waiting for me to get myself killed."

"You took the words right out of my mouth." He bit out angrily and immediately regretted it. It had only been a month since Doomday's demise and they both and been trying very hard to stay on good terms with one another. He sighed again and took a seat on the side of her bed and leaned forward on his arms. "I was trying to do something nice."

Chloe sat up, now fully awake, and frowned. "Why when I know what you really think?"

"You've made bad decisions."

"So have you."

"And sometimes your selfish and let your feelings get in the way."

"And you're honoree and think you are always right."

"You always think that you need to be a martyr."

"You always want to control everything and will go to any length to do so."

Oliver ground his teeth together and fought against firing back. They could go all night, voicing each others negative attributes. "I came over here because I was worried and wanted to make sure you were okay. You always call."

All she wanted was the last word, and she'd gotten it. But for some reason she just felt foolish and pathetic. She wasn't sure what it was or why he was getting to her. He was invading her personnel space. She felt exposed sitting there before him in her modest pajamas on her bed. The room was to quite and dark for her taste, but she could still somehow make out his features. His face was to close to her and she could smell him. "I'm fine."

Oliver wasn't even sure how they'd wound up in there current position. The last place he had expected to be was in her bedroom, sitting on her bed in the darkness and arguing with one another. "Are you?"

She sighed angrily. "What do you want to hear Oliver? I'm safe. You didn't come over here to hear all the poor pitiful me details of my life did you? Clark wanted you to be big brother, not my shoulder to cry on. Mission accomplished."

"Chloe stop it." She opened her mouth to respond but quickly shut it again. He didn't want to be her punching bag, but who else was available for the job? On top of it he had a feeling he deserved some of it. "You're still mad at me, I get that. I'm still upset with you too." She opened her mouth but he cut her off by pressing his finger to her lips. He leaned in closer and held her eyes with his. "But I want to get past that and you should too. Who else do you have right now Chloe?" Someone would have though he struck her by the pained look on her face. The fight seemed to leave her just then and he immediately regretted his harsh words.

She lay back on the bed and rolled onto her side, turning away from him. He was suffocating her. It wasn't just the nearness of his body to her, it was his words. Her whole life depended on him in some respect. She worked for him, he paid her bills. And now Clark had appointed him to watch over her. It made her feel pathetic, weak.

"Chloe." He gently rolled her over, fully expecting her to resist at first, but she didn't even put up a fight. "I'm sorry." She didn't say anything, but the look on her face said enough. He'd done enough damage for the night. "I'll go ahead and leave." It had meant to be a friendly gesture, another effort to apologize when he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He pulled back just slightly to look down on her before he stood up. He should have left, not hovered over watching her, studying every inch of her face until his eyes landed on her lips. "Chloe."

Chloe exhaled shakily and searched his face nervously for some sign that she was wrong, that Oliver Queen wasn't about to kiss her. There shouldn't have been anything between them. They'd never had any kind of connection or chemistry. So why was it here and now that Oliver seemed to be moving in on her? His lips brushed against hers and she couldn't help the content sigh that betrayed her.

She tilted her head up towards him and that was all the motivation he needed to claim her lips as his. Oliver forgot who it was laying underneath him. It didn't matter everything about her made her off limits. At that moment the only thing he recognized was his need for her.

His tongue slid over her lips and she shuddered, her whole body responding to him. Chloe reached out for him, taking his shirt in her hands and pulling him closer.

It wasn't until he slid his hand underneath her backside, pulling her closer that he finally realized he'd crossed the line. She whimpered into his mouth, nails digging into his chest. It wasn't right, it was Chloe Sullivan. He pulled away suddenly, his arms still resting on either side of her, and stared down at her in disbelief. "I'm sorry." Her chest heaved, breasts pressing against her t-shirt, her nipples pushing against the cotton material making him aware for the first time that she didn't have a bra on. What the hell was he doing? "Chloe, I-."

"No, just-." She couldn't breathe. How was it possible that she ruined that last strong relationship she had?

"I'll leave." He pulled away, not fast enough though to escape what he'd just done.


	2. Chapter 2

Note: This is so short. I'm sorry. But I wanted the chapter to just be this scene. I'm thinking there will be only two more chapters maybe. Each chapter is kind of reflecting every change in their relationship. So pretty much most of my chapters start in the middle of something that is going on to show that change. Hope that made sense. Thanks everyone for all the reviews. I'm glad everyone has enjoyed it. Like most of you I am to a bit disgusted with writing for Chloe this season. Plus Oliver has been a bit cranky the past season. Well enjoy. I promise the next chapter will be better.

* * *

"Chloe, can you hang around for a bit?" When she turned to him with that wide eyed dear in the head lights look he ignored it and followed the others to the door to lock up behind them.

For two weeks she had avoided him like the plague, only speaking with him through e-mail and text. It was partly for that reason that he held an impromptu meeting.

When he turned around to face her he couldn't find the words though. What was he supposed to say to a woman that he kissed? Chloe fit into his life in so many different ways, but none of them warranted his most recent behavior. She was his friend, colleague, employee, ex-girlfriends cousin, and best friend to the most powerful man in the world.

His relationship with Chloe was strained at best since her involvement with Davis. So how did any of that add up to his actions? When did he actually start looking at her like someone he could be attracted to? What the hell happened that during the entire meeting his eyes continued to stray to her face, her hands, lips, body, hips? Something had to be done.

"This has got to stop." She looked away from him for a moment and then when she looked back again he could see she was rearing up for a fight.

"You did this!" She stomped her foot angrily on the hardwood floor and closed the distance between them with a few short steps. "Don't tell me this has got to stop. This is your fault."

How many times had he promised himself he'd control his temper with her, not allow her to get the best of him. "Do you know how impossible you are to deal with?"

"You've made it quite clear on numerous occasions your contempt for me."

He fought against the need to shake her. Ever since Clark disappeared she'd been different. To her credit she'd held everything in for a long time. "You're crazy." He took a step closer and glared down at her.

"Right." Chloe cocked an eyebrow up at him. "Because you're always so sensible."

"Why don't we talk about what is really going on?" There was no way he was going to get into another argument with her about their past indiscretions.

"I'd rather not." Chloe side stepped him and made for the door. She'd only taken a couple of steps when her arm was caught in his grasp. Instead of pulling away she turned to him. "I think it's best if we just ignore it."

"And you continue giving me the silent treatment? It was an accident."

"You don't kiss on accident Oliver!" His hand fell away from her but he didn't move away. "I mean what am I supposed to say? How did that even happen? I mean I know how it happens, but..." She sighed and shook her head. The problem is she knew. "You don't kiss people you don't like!"

Oliver rubbed his forehead. It was just a kiss, it only lasted seconds. But somehow it managed to change the whole context of their relationship. Had he really been that blind when he went into her apartment and carried her to her room? "I can't deal with this right now." Perhaps she'd had the right idea, but he hadn't been able to deal with the silent treatment.

"We just won't talk about it." He dropped his hand and looked at her. "Eventually we won't even think about it." But she did think about it, constantly. She wanted to know what was going on in his head. But the best thing to do was ignore it. In the end they'd acted on impulse, maybe even desperation, it was nothing.

"Fine." It was the right thing to do he supposed. Dredging up the whole thing would only lead to more complications. They stood in silence for a moment, staring at one another, and then she broke the eye contact and headed towards the door. This time he let her go. When he heard the door open he finally turned around. "Be ready for seven tomorrow, I'm sending a car to pick you up."

Chloe looked behind her and nodded before stepping into the elevator. Their eyes met as she pulled the gate closed over the elevator. The elevator jerked and then began to move, but she didn't break eye contact until he disappeared from her view.

Once she gone he sighed and turned around. It was late and he still had a lot to do to prepare for their mission tomorrow. If Oliver could have left her behind he would have. She was a distraction to him. But luck would have it that their next mission was in Star City breaking into some crazy super computer that luck would have it Chloe could only do if she was there in person. Oliver didn't like the idea of bringing her on a mission on a normal day, but now he really wished there was some way out of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Notes: Whew, this is a long one. I'm shocked I got it done. Now the editing on the other hand....I'm tired, so I hope it isnt to bad. I really hop you enjoy this chapter. This story has kind of turned into its own little moster.

* * *

"Get out!" Oliver yelled into his mike. He turned back to the woman typing furiously on the computer. "Come on!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Don't rush me." She continued clicking away on her keyboard, heart pounding a mile a minute, but she refused to be rushed and make a mistake. They wouldn't get the chance again. She could hear the others rattling away in her ear piece and it was driving her crazy. Without a second thought she pulled it out and slammed it on the table.

Oliver paced nervously behind her. It wasn't his safety he was concerned about; he was worried about getting her out. He was about to rush her again when she started disconnecting wires and throwing stuff back in her bag. "Come on." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him and out the door.

The alarms were even louder in the hallway, causing Chloe to finally realize how much trouble they were in. She wasn't cut out for the super hero work; she worked best behind a computer. He pulled her along behind him, stopping at every corner and forcing her body behind the protection of his. They were almost out when they turned into a hallway and came face to face with two armed security guards.

Oliver pushed her to the ground, and covered her body with his as two shots rang through the air. He released two arrows, and didn't even wait for both of them to meet there marks. "Come on."

She didn't even hear him as he yanked her onto to her feet and pulled her stumbling through a door. The only thing that she could think about was the bullets that had just narrowly missed both her and Oliver. What the hell had she been thinking?

"Come on Chloe." She didn't say anything, but he could feel her lagging behind as he pulled her behind him down the steps in the stairwell. They only had one more floor to go before she went tumbling into him and fell. Her hand slipped from his and she went crumbling to the ground. He didn't even say anything and grabbed her by her arm rather roughly and yanked her onto her feet. She screamed.

Her ankle exploded in agony and she almost fell to the ground again, but Oliver hands caught her arm. "My ankle."

"Son of a bitch." He cursed and swung her up into his arms. The sound of a door opening and rushed footsteps from above alerted them to their company. Oliver hurried down the stairwell and kicked open the door to the alley.

Rain. It came down so hard and cold that Chloe gasped. Why hadn't anyone warned her of the change in weather when she'd packed? Of course, she realized when they stopped at his bike, she'd arrived to their destination in a van earlier. The plan hadn't been for her to make her escape on the back of Oliver's bike.

He sat her down on the back of his back and threw his leg over. "Hold on."

She'd barely had time to get her arms around him before they were off.

"What happened!?" Dinah bounded forward then stepped back again to make room for Oliver.

"I fell." Chloe said as Oliver set her down in a chair. But her voice was barely recognizable through the chattering of her teeth.

"Stop standing around like bunch of idiots and get some towels!" Oliver boomed. He pushed his hood back and tossed his glasses onto the table before kneeling in front of her. "Let me see." Gently he proceeded to take off her shoe, being careful with ever cringe and gasp she made. "This may hurt." He said before touching her ankle. He heard her inhale sharply, but she didn't say another word. After a quick inspection he stood up. "I think it's just sprained."

Chloe released a sigh of relief. Arthur arrived just then and wrapped a towel around her shoulders. "Thanks." But she was hardly able to speak with her body shaking so badly.

"You need clothes." Dinah said and walked off.

"Did you get everything?" Victor piped up while he unloaded Chloe's bag.

"Yea." The chattering wasn't as bad, but it was still hard to talk. "Cold."

Oliver frowned then stepped forward and lifted her back into his arms. Her cold hands slid over his neck. He cradled her closer, trying to keep her warm. "Go ahead and get out of here." He didn't spare them another thought as he carried Chloe to his bedroom. As he settled her on the edge of the bed light footsteps could be heard in the hallway behind him. When he turned around Dinah was walking through the doorway.

"These are some clothes I had in my work out bag." She set them on the bed and stood up. "Everything okay?"

"Yea." Chloe nodded her head and smiled. "Thanks." She was already shrugging off the light sweater she had pulled on earlier that night believing it would keep her warm. Now it just clung too her, cold and wet.

"Come on." Dinah nudged Oliver's shoulder and headed out of the room.

Oliver sighed and reluctantly stood up. "I'll be back in a minute. Stay here and don't stand up." Her shoulders shook with each shiver but she managed to nod.

He emerged into the living to find the rest of the men still standing around. "Didn't I tell you all to get out of here?"

"What about Chloe?" Bart nodded towards the back were Oliver had disappeared with her.

"She's fine. I'll get her back to the hotel." He walked to the table he dropped his glasses on and snatched them up before turning around and heading towards his bedroom.

"We can get her back Oliver." Dinah called after him.

"I said I'd take care of it." He didn't spare them another glance as he turned the corner and headed towards his closet. He probably shouldn't have been so short with them, but Chloe's injury on top of their other issues was making it impossible for him to relax.

Oliver stripped his leather's off and thoroughly ran a towel over his body before pulling on something more comfortable. On his way back to his room he made one more stop in one of the bathrooms for an ace bandage. When he got back to his room he knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in."

He turned the knob and opened the door to find her sitting exactly where he had left her, this time wearing a pair of loose fitting shorts and tank top. "You okay?"

"Yea." Her eyes followed him as he walked towards her. "Where are the others?"

"I sent them back to the hotel." He avoided her eyes and kneeled down in front of her. "Why don't we wrap this up?"

Chloe only nodded and watched him. He didn't have to send them back without her. She was more then capable of going with them. She forgot for a moment about his strange behavior when he lifted her leg and her ankle exploded with pain.

She didn't make a noise but Oliver felt her leg jump under his hand. When he looked up she was cringing. "Sorry."

"It's okay." She forced herself to breathe. "It's my fault anyway."

"You did what you were supposed to do." He began to carefully wrap her ankle. "You got what we needed and you did it under pressure. It was my job to get you in and out safely."

"You can't be held responsible for my inability to walk." She joked but something told her he wasn't in a joking mood.

"I could be held responsible for you almost getting shot." He looked up at her and met her eyes. When she didn't respond he went back to his work. Chloe wasn't cut out for those types of situations; he shouldn't have brought her there. What kind of caretaker was he?

"It isn't your fault." He stopped again and looked up to glare at her.

"Are you determined to argue with me even when I am willing to accept the blame?" When she shook her head he sighed and continued to wrap her ankle.

"What is it?" When he didn't say anything she tried again. "Oliver, what is it?"

She couldn't be that gullible to not know what was going on, and he couldn't be that stupid to have thought it would just go away. "This isn't going to work."

"I don't understand."

He looked up at the soft tone of her voice and studied her face. She didn't appear confused, only concerned. He sighed again and finished wrapping her foot. Gently he lowered her leg to the ground and looked back up at her. "You know what I mean, ignoring this isn't going to work."

"Then what do you want to do?" Her heart pounded in her chest at the look on his face. It was bothering him, she didn't even know why. What happened two weeks ago had taken both of them by surprise. Oliver was a strong person, he was focused. Why was something that appeared to be a lapse in judgment getting to him? If anyone should have been walking away it should have been him. He could do it. Her on the other hand, she was an emotional mess.

"Chloe." He laughed but there was no humor in his voice. "I don't think that's a question you want to ask."

"I'm asking anyway." He seemed to be studying her, the weight of his stare making her uncomfortable. Something was going through his head; she could almost see the wheels turning.

"Remember, you asked." He pushed up off the floor and leaned over her, taking her lips as his.

She didn't respond at first. Her first instinct was to reach out and grab his shoulder to steady herself as he pushed against her. The bed shifted as he rested his hand on either side of her and leaned in closer. The lust they had found themselves had struck at the worst time ever. They both had too much going on in their lives, and Chloe didn't believe for a minute that Oliver had real feelings for her. But he felt good against her. His lips were demanding of her and she found herself opening to him.

It became quickly evident to him there would be no denying what ever was going on with him and Chloe. She was too much of a figment in his life for him to just get over her. There was no way to get around the fact that he wanted her, no matter how much it confused him.

So instead of fighting it Oliver just gave in. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her up the bed. Her arm snaked around his neck, her hand burying in his hair. When he pressed a leg between hers she didn't stop him and he was soon settled over her, nestled comfortably between her legs.

Chloe's body betrayed her as she arched her hips up into him. One of his hands wrapped around her knee and pulled it up. She could take a hint. Chloe wrapped her leg around his waist and whimpered into his mouth at the increased pressure.

Oliver had been hoping she would stop him; in fact he had counted on her to stop his reckless behavior. But instead she only urged him on, making him want her more. He slid a hand up her side and under her shirt then stopped. His phone was ringing. Slowly he pulled his lips from her and met her eyes as it rang again. Only one person had that ring. He wished he'd had time to take her in, but instead he was jumping off the bed. "Fuck."

"Oliver?" He was out the door though and running down the hall. A wave of embarrassment flooded through her and heated her cheeks. She pushed her shirt back down and quickly sat up.

At firsts she heard nothing, and just waited patiently. Then she heard footsteps as he came back down the hall and panic gripped her. What the hell were they thinking? He stopped in the doorway, cell phone to his ear and looked at her.

"_I heard you were busy tonight."_

Oliver frowned. He hated people that could track his movements. "I don't butt in on your affairs."

"_That isn't what this is about."_

"Really?"

"_How did you break into it? You're good Oliver, but not that good."_

"Maybe I'm just better then you." Chloe's brow scrunched together in confusion but he wasn't even going to dare try to speak to her with him on the phone.

"_I'm asking because I think you could help me."_

"So now you're asking me for help?" He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"_Yes."_

"Well I'm not quite sure if I'll be able to do that."

"_Why?"_

"Because it's complicated."

"_The technology in the computer is part alien. Nothing on this planet can break into it unless it's alien. I need your help. You help me and I can help you."_

Oliver's jaw tensed at the new information. Alien. He continued to stare at Chloe who just looked at him with innocent confusion.

"_I need to get rid of this thing Oliver, it's dangerous."_

"I'll be at your house tomorrow night. Be there." He pulled the phone away from his ear and hit the end button. "Chloe, what was that computer?."

"What?" She shook her head in confusion. "It was encrypted Oliver. Some odd language. I broke into it and downloaded the information and disabled it like you asked. I don't know. Why?"

"It's part alien." He took a few steps forward and looked down on it. "No human should have been able to do that. How did you?"

"No." She shook her head knowing what he was implying. "It isn't like that." She wished she could have stood up, not have him looking down on her like a bad child. "I can read it, like knowing a second language. Brainiac is gone. That's over. But I still remember things. I can't connect to computers like I did, but it's like I know more, I understand them more." By the look on his face she could tell he still didn't believe her. "Look," she sighed and looked around his room hoping something would jump out of her. "It's like a memory Oliver. You took Spanish in school right? French, something. So maybe you were fluent in it at the time, you probably aced the class. But a few years later, when you weren't in the class anymore you forgot some of it. Not all of it though. Do you understand?"

She was desperate for him to believe her, he could tell. "You swear. Nothing is going on."

"I swear." But his eyes were still untrusting and she couldn't take that. Not after all the people that she'd lost and what was currently happening between the two of them. "Please." But his face was unwavering. Even when he kissed her he still distrusted her. "Oliver…" She sighed and looked away from him as she felt her eyes begin to water. She couldn't take it. "Just-." She shook her head again and tried to compose her thoughts. "Just take me back. I can't deal with this right now." His feet moved, but she refused to look up as he passed in front of her and sat on the bed.

She began to turn her head away from him, but there was no missing the tears in her eyes. "Chloe." She stopped and stared strait ahead, listening. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to get you upset." She wiped her eyes and nodded. Instead of rehashing the entire conversation he steered it elsewhere. "Someone has taken interest in your skills." She took a deep breath then looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I have this friend you could say, who is having the same problem."

"That's who you were on the phone with." He nodded and Chloe quickly tried to replay Oliver's end of the conversation in her head. "What does he want?"

"I think he thinks that I've found some kind of key to break into it." He shook his head. "I don't know. But he asked me how I did it, not who did it."

"And?"

"He asked me for help."

"And you're going?" He seemed uncomfortable at her question. "You want me to go with you."

"I didn't tell him anything. I wanted to make it your decision."

"My ankle." She looked down at her injury. She couldn't even walk yet. There was no way she was going to be able to break in somewhere and disable a computer.

"Don't worry about that. It's up to you."

"I'll go. But this guy, he's okay right. I mean nothing I need to worry about?"

He didn't like the fact she was depending on him, it made him nervous. It bothered him that he could fail her at any moment, and it bothered him even more that he cared. "He's fine. A little stuffy and uptight, but you don't have anything to worry about." Even at his reassurance she still looked slightly apprehensive. "I promise, I'm not going to let anything happen."

Chloe nodded and smiled softly. "Thanks, I'm just a little wary of people when they take an interest in me."

He'd taken an interest in her; it would probably be wise of her to be wary of him. "Why don't you stay here tonight, I have a guest room." He was sure to add the latter part before she panicked. "We'll be leaving early in the morning, and considering your ankle I'd rather not move you much. I'll have somebody bring by your belongings."

"Thanks." It was an awkward situation, but he was right. It would be easier if she stayed with him. Silence overcame them again and she found herself remembering how just moments ago he had pushed her onto the bed.

"This," he waved his hand between them, "we're going to have to talk about eventually, it's not going away." She nodded agreement. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

When he mentioned going to bed she hadn't planned on him swooping her up into his arms. She released a startled yelp and threw her arms around his neck. "I'm not crippled."

"You can't walk on one leg, that's crippled enough for me." She released a frustrated sigh but relented and laid her cheek against his chest.

"Your home in Star City is a lot larger." Chloe observed tiredly and yawned.

"Because I'm supposed to live here." But he never stayed anywhere long enough to call home. Star City was where he was from, but he really couldn't call it home. Oliver stopped at the closest guest room and awkwardly turned the knob and opened the door to the room. "Lights."

Chloe looked around with raised eyebrows when the lights came on. "That was cool."

"Money gives me a reason to be lazy once in a while." He stopped at the bed and gently settled her on it. He reached for the covers and started to pull them back when she wrapped her hand around his wrist.

"Oliver," she smiled up at him, "I can do it."

He stopped and stood up. "I'll wake you in the morning and have your stuff brought over to the airport. You'll have time to shower on the jet." She nodded and just stared up at him. "I'll see you in the morning." He began to turn away from her but the sound of her voice called me him back.

"Where are we going?"

"Gotham City." Her shoulders slumped and her head fell forward. Oliver couldn't help but smirk. "It isn't one of my most favorite vacationing spots either."

"If it's cold and wet here can you imagine what the weather will be like there?"

"I promise, for the next mission I'll find you a beach." She grinned up at him, and he couldn't resist. He leaned over, cradling her cheek in his hand and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. It only lasted a few short second and then he pulled away. "Get some sleep. You'll be flying again tomorrow."

He had already turned away from her and was heading to the door when she called out to him. "Goodnight Oliver."

Oliver stopped and turned to her and fought against the urge to walk back over to her. At some point she had become dangerous to him and for the life of him he couldn't figure out when or why. "Goodnight Chloe."


	4. Chapter 4

"This is horrible weather." Chloe tightened her new coat around body. Before leaving Star City Oliver had insisted they stop and buy her warmer clothes and a jacket. She was glad he had. The weather in Gotham City was dank, misty, and a chill that reached the bone. It was miserable. "I just want to get back to the hotel and crawl under the covers." She groaned out loud at the pain underneath her arm and readjusted the crutch she was using for support. Hopefully someone would answer the door soon; she couldn't stand waiting much longer.

"I'd like to crawl under your covers too." All thoughts of cold left her mind as she turned to him. Oliver turned his head towards her and cocked an eyebrow.

"I can't believe you said that."

Oliver shrugged. "Neither can I."

"This place is huge." She looked up in awe. Chloe knew who Bruce Wayne was, but she still hadn't been prepared for what she saw when they drove through the gates.

"Please." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Don't insult me."

Chloe glanced over at Oliver and smirked. "Yours is bigger then?"

"Probably." The truth was he wasn't sure, but he wasn't about to admit defeat. "My parents house probably."

Chloe didn't think that the townhouse he lived in now was where he grew up, it was small, seemed more like a bachelor pad. "Then why don't you live there?"

Oliver shrugged. It wasn't exactly the best time to get into his parent issues. "To big." Luckily the door opened just then and Chloe dropped it.

"Mr. Queen?" The old butler asked courteously.

"Yes."

"Mr. Wayne has been expecting you. If you would please follow me."

Chloe felt Oliver's hand on her back, hinting for her to go first. She stepped into the mansion and couldn't control her eyes from scanning over the large foyer.

"May I take your jackets?"

Oliver's fingers brushed against her neck and she allowed him to slip her jacket off your shoulders. She was sure Oliver had manners, but she just had never really been on the receiving end of them. After the butler took their jackets he led them out of the foyer. Their long walk eventually ended in another room which appeared to be an office.

"Mr. Wayne will be with you in a moment. May I offer you anything?"

"No, thank you." Chloe said and smiled kindly. After the butler closed the door behind then took a seat. Oliver did not. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think anything is wrong?" He didn't look at her when he spoke; instead his eyes covered the entire room, taking everything in.

"Like I said. What's wrong?"

"I don't like this."

Just his words made her worry. "I thought you said you trusted him?"

"I do. But we ran into enough trouble yesterday." He turned to her with a frown. "This time they would be ready for us." He walked over and took a seat next to her. "Chloe, that alien language, can't you just tell him what to do."

"No." She sighed and scrunched her brow in confusion. "It's weird. It doesn't work like that. I don't remember it. It just happens, subconsciously."

Oliver sighed and sat back. Of course she would have to say that. The door opened and he sighed before standing up and turning around. "Bruce."

"Oliver." They stood in silence staring at one another until Bruce caught site of the woman at Oliver's side. "You didn't mention that you were bringing a friend."

Chloe held out her hand. "Chloe Sullivan, also known as the only person in the world who can break into alien computers." The other man took her hand in his and shook it.

"Please to meet you. Have a seat." Bruce walked around to one of the other chairs and took a seat. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to do so?"

Chloe looked over at Oliver, not sure how much information he wanted her to divulge, but he just nodded. "We um, broke in." She turned backed to him. "I couldn't remote in to the server. I had to do it in person at the computer."

"That could be a problem." Bruce looked at Oliver, hoping he caught his hint.

"Why?" She looked at Oliver then Bruce again. "Hello?"

"My help, they like to work alone." Bruce said evenly, not taking his eyes off of Oliver. He hadn't been planning on anyone besides Oliver.

"If you don't mind me asking a question." She waited till she had the attention of both men and continued. "I'm noticing some similarities between the two of you. Rich, bachelors, lots of money at your disposal, you're both the head of billion dollarcompanies that can make all kinds of fun toys and you both have two super heroes that live in both your cities." Chloe smiled knowingly. "Now considering that you seem to be aware of Oliver's green leather fetish I would only assume your preference is black and you like things with wings. Batman I presume?" He just looked at her. She looked at Oliver for confirmation, but he wasn't meeting her eyes. "Look you need me to get into that thing, and I'm not getting in there on my own."

"I didn't say a word." Oliver said and held his hands up in defense when Bruce turned to glare at him. "Don't feel bad, she figured out who I was on her own too."

"Your secret is safe with me. I know a lot of people who like running around in disguise saving the world."

"Explain to me how exactly you were able to break into the computers hard drive."

Chloe frowned, knowing he was skating around admitting who he was. "I was possessed by someone, his name was Braniac, and he wasn't human. For a time I was actually able to connect to computers, I could get into them, like plugging myself into a wall. Needless to say Braniac took over. My friends were able to get rid of him though." She paused for a moment her mind momentarily filling with thoughts of Clark. "But I've held on to some of the knowledge. I can read the language and I understand how it works and operates."

Bruce looked to Oliver for confirmation.

"Oh she's telling the truth. Tossed my ass all the way across the room and knocked me out."

Bruce nodded thoughtfully. "I've been searching for about a month now to find some way to disable it. I had been monitoring the situation in Star City for about the same amount of time."

"Do you know who it is?" Oliver asked.

"I have some theories, but nothing concrete." He looked at her foot then at the crutch. "Your current condition would make it rather difficult to get in and out quickly."

Chloe sighed and mentally cursed her ankle.

"About seven to ten days if not more." Oliver said matter of factly, having already considered the problem.

"That is a problem."

Oliver narrowed his eyes at him. "Deal with it. I'm taking her back to Metropolis tomorrow. Get a plan together and let me know who you need."

"And there is no other way?" Bruce said to the women across from him.

Chloe shook her head. "We tried more then once to remote in, I couldn't do it. Trust me, if I didn't have to go on a mission I wouldn't. I'm not that good at it. How do you think I got this sprained ankle?"

Before Bruce could speak up again Oliver cut in. "Ten days. If she isn't well enough by then you'll have to wait."

"Ten days then."

Oliver nodded and stood up. Turning to Chloe he grabbed her arm and gently lifted her up from the chair. "Let me know what you need. I'll give you an update in a few days about her condition. And I want the safest way in and the safest way out for her. No accidents, no running, no guns. If it isn't safe then you're on your own."

Chloe almost opened her mouth to tell him to stop being ridiculous. They couldn't not help him. But she didn't say anything. Oliver still felt guilty about what happened the other night, and something about his rush to protect her left her a little shocked. He was the same Oliver Queen, but there was a side of him that she was just beginning to see.

"Of course." Bruce said and stood up. He held his hand out to Chloe. "It's was a pleasure to meet you."

"And you." She smiled warmly and shook his hand.

Bruce walked them to the door and Chloe and Oliver made their way slowly down the steps in silence, the chil once again sinking into her. But she didn't even notice, not when she could tell that something was bothering Oliver. "What is it?"

"Nothing." They made their way to the rental car in silence and Oliver helped her into the passenger seat.

Chloe waited until they were off of Bruce Wayne's property before she tried again. "Oliver don't lie. What is it?"

"I don't like this." How many times had she found herself in dangerous situations? Her hand brushed the one he had resting over the shift. He looked down and found her small hand sliding into his. Oliver threaded his fingers through hers and looked back at the road ahead of them.

Oliver sighed and sat on the bed. Tiredly he began unbuttoning his shirt. Before he even had the opportunity to pull it off his cell rang and he groaned. He reached it and fell back onto the bed. "Hello?"

"_Just to let you know, I checked out your friend Chloe."_

"I figured you would." Oliver rolled his eyes and let them shut. "Anything good?"

"_Her life is rather interesting, but I'm sure it isn't anything you don't already know about. Especially considering you are employing her."_

"I do conduct thorough background checks. But that isn't why you called, is it Bruce?"

"_No, when you asked earlier who I thought was behind the alien computers. I do have a theory that I didn't want to share in front of Ms. Sullivan."_

There was a pause and Oliver waited.

"_Lex Luthor."_

Oliver sat up and felt his breath catch in his throat. "He's dead."

"_I'm sure you made sure of that. But that is beside the point. I'm not positive. And if I'm correct Queen Industries has born the brunt of the virus created."_

Even if Lex was still alive there was no way he could know it was Oliver who had attempted to take his life. Chloe had made sure there was no evidence. But Lex had been trying to kill him up until Oliver planted that bomb. "Thanks." Oliver hung up the phone and stood up, intent on going to Chloe's room and give her the news, but he couldn't bring himself to move. How the hell was he supposed to tell her that he screwed up ridding the world of Lex Luthor? She hadn't agreed with his actions, but he knew she had been relieved by them. If Lex was alive he would be after Oliver again, Chloe, Clark, all of them.

A light knock filled her hotel room.

"Chloe, it's me."

"Oliver?" She asked in confusion. They were only a phone away. What reason did he have to be at her door? With a frustrated sigh she pushed herself up and used the furniture and wall to help her hobble to the door. Upon opening it she found him standing in the hallway in a tanktop and sweats. "You're a little under dressed."

"I was planning on going to bed at some point." He noticed her holding onto the door and the immediately noticed her missing crutch. "Come on." He stepped in and wrapped an arm around her waste.

Chloe allowed him to lead her to the sofa and set her down. "Why do you have that look?"

He sighed and took a seat next to her. "Bruce just called. It seems he does have some suspicions as to who the man is behind these computers. He seems to think it could be Lex."

Chloe frowned. "While on the jet today I was trying to pull up some information that I stole the night before. Luthorcorp had come up a few times. But Luthorcorp has been involved in so many other things and Tess…." Chloe left it hanging. "We don't know for sure, and if it is him then we'll deal with it." But she could see how apprehensive he was. Oliver had put a lot on the line, sacrificed a part of himself. Now to hear that all of that was in vain. She couldn't imagine what it felt like. "There is always going to be something. It just happens that most of the time it's Lex."

"When did you become so positive?"

"Since I got warm." She smiled. But his question pulled at her. Lately she hadn't had much to be positive about. They sat in silence for a while and she knew where they were heading. She wanted him to touch her, press his lips to her. She wanted to reach out and slide her hands over his hard arms and underneath his shirt.

It would have been so easy for him just to push her back onto the sofa and crawl on top of her. But they couldn't continue to go on like that, because eventually he knew he wouldn't be able to stop.

"I think this is a good time to talk."

"You're not ready." Her eyebrows rose at his exclamation and he knew he would need to explain. "Two of the most important people in your life have disappeared. Then what happened a month ago…" Oliver refused to say Davis' name. "And Jimmy." Something felt like it was crushing his chest and Oliver knew what it was, guilt. He'd done so much to help the young man along and he wound up dying in the end for doing the right thing. What kind of friend was Oliver to be making out with the widow only a month after his death? "I just don't think we should do this."

Chloe nodded thoughtfully. It was the same thing she had said a couple of days ago. Then something changed for her. It probably wasn't right, and maybe she was just totally off balance and falling for him because it was better then just falling. But the problem was she couldn't help it. She couldn't turn the switch off, even if he was going to try too.

She felt like she was going to be sick. If she hadn't had a sprained ankle she probably would have taken off to her room.

"You know…" Chloe grabbed her crutch roughly and ignored the noise it made as it hit the leg of the coffee table, "you did this." She pushed herself up off of the sofa and stood up. "You kissed me two weeks ago. Then two days ago you brought it up again. Then after deciding we would put it out of our minds, ignore it, you kiss me again! Now you're going to come back again and tell me I'm not ready? You knew two weeks ago I wasn't ready. But why not wait a little bit, play with Chloe's feelings, and _then_ decide it was a bad idea." She hobbled away from him and then stopped and turned around. "I mean why all the theatrics? Why not just leave it alone?"

"It wasn't that easy." He was determined to just listen. He deserved it. Chloe had lost a lot more then him recently and was still dealing with it. What right did he have to shake up her life so soon?

"Whatever, I don't care. Now we just have another reason to be at odds I guess." The crutch caught on the leg of the sofa and she growled angrily. She could heal other people but couldn't even help herself. Without even a thought she threw the crutch angrily to the ground and rested her hand against the wall for support. It was pathetic of her to be throwing a tantrum right there in front of him, but she was so fed up with everything. Not one thing would work out for her. Not that Oliver was the answer to her problems, but she had to admit he had helped.

She started to make her way towards her bedroom, knowing she probably looked foolish, but she had to keep some kind of dignity. But she wouldn't turn around and face him. For all she knew he was still sitting on the sofa. At least she thought so until his arm wrapped around her free arm. "Let go." She grounded out.

"Chloe…" He moved to stand in front of her while still holding her arm. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want your apology. I don't need it. Let me go." She tried to move again but he tightened his hold on her arm. "Look I'm mad. I'll get over it." She sighed and tried to release some of her anger. "Just let me go."

"You can't tell me that tomorrow morning when I see you that you aren't going to give me the cold shoulder, that you aren't going to stop answering my phone calls and only communicate through e-mail."

"No. You can't have your cake and eat it too." He still didn't release her and she wasn't quite sure what he was looking for. If he wanted her to tell him it was okay she wasn't going to. "What?"

"This isn't what I wanted."

"Then what did you want?"

His mind immediately went back to the previous night when she had asked him the same question. The problem was that he wanted the same thing at that moment that he wanted then. "We already know that what I want isn't the issue."

"Yes, it is." He wouldn't answer her, and that only made her want to know more. "What do you want?"

"Chloe…" He couldn't answer her; if he did then that would be the end of it. Oliver knew what he wanted, and it wasn't to let her go.

"Then let me go." His hand fell away from her and her heart plummeted with it. He was going to let her go. Perhaps he didn't want to. Maybe he wanted to hold on to her as much as she wanted to hold on to him, but he wouldn't. So she dug up what dignity she had left and hobbled to her room. His hand was on her arm again and then she felt his body against her back and she would swear that she shivered.

"You. I want you." He whispered softly into her ear. "I'm trying to avoid making a mistake with you, but you're making it really damn hard." He walked around and stood in front of her again.

His hand slid over her hip and wrapped around her back. As his arm tightened she felt him pulling her closer and up his body. "You can't keep changing your mind."

"I know." It was so pointless to try keeping away from her. He wanted her and there was no escaping that. So he gave in and lowered his lips to hers. They were soft, warm, and there was the faint taste of mint making him wonder why he hadn't brushed his teeth before he showed up at her door. All of the anger in her seemed to have vanished as she allowed him to pull her close and gave in to his kiss. She was all his. Everything was going great until she cried out and wrenched her mouth away. "What?"

"My ankle." Unknowingly she'd let her foot fall back to the ground and had even tried to stand on it to take pressure off of her only good leg. Hands traveled over her backside and then she felt his hands grip her thighs before lifting her up and off the ground. Chloe immediately wrapped her arms and legs around his body in fear of falling.

"Better?"

Her breath came out as a shudder when she exhaled. "Yes."

His fingers buried in her hair, pulling her head to him. This time he thrust his tongue into her mouth, fisting her blond hair in his hand, and pulling it gently until she gasped and tilted her head back giving him access to the smooth skin of her neck. His lips trailed over her, nibbling and sucking at every exposed piece of skin he could reach. Her legs tightened around him in response, heals digging almost painfully into his back. Their current position wouldn't satisfy him for long.

Chloe felt him moving and only barely opened her eyes to see that they were leaving the living room for her bedroom. His lips only left her neck when he settled her on the mattress. He pulled away from and she whimpered in protest. It wasn't long before he had his shirt off and kneeling back on the bed. She scooted back, trying to be thoughtful and allow more room for his long body, but he grabbed her good ankle and yanked her back down the bed. To her mortification she giggled.

"You can't get away that easily." He pressed a knee between her legs and leaned over her body, placing a gentle kiss on her stomach which had become exposed when he pulled her down the bed.

"I'm crippled, I can't go anywhere." His tongue was wet and cold against her bare skin and only made her shiver as he made his way down her stomach to the waistband of her shorts.

"How do you know I didn't push you down the other night so you couldn't run?" He looked up at her and bit down gently on the skin he had exposed from her shorts.

"I wouldn't doubt it." He bit her again, this time almost painfully. She looked down to admonish him, but he was grinning. "Not funny."

"Yes it is." He crawled the rest of the way up her body until he was looking down into her face. "What do you want?"

The hand that had slid over his shoulder and was making a trail down his back stilled. "What?"

"You want to know what I want. I'm asking you what you want." There was fear behind her eyes, he knew that she didn't want to expose herself to him.

"I want to be happier for longer then three minutes. I want just for one time everything to be perfect. I don't want to make another mistake. I want everyone I care about to stop disappearing." She could have cried, and she probably would have if it wasn't for the fact that it would ruin the mood.

"You're asking a lot." She smiled in response and just shrugged. "How about we work on one at a time." Oliver brushed her hair out of her face and then met her eyes again. "I'm not going to disappear." Her palm pressed gently against his face, cradling his cheek in her hand. But it was the smile on her face that bothered him; it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" She asked and idly brushed his lips with her thumb.

"Sad." He dropped his head, intent on putting it out of her mind, and kissed her hard. Chloe's body pressed up and against him, rubbing her hips against his. He nipped at her lower lip and trailed kissed down her neck until he got the neck of her t-shirt.

Chloe knotted her fingers through his hair and attempted to pull him back up, but instead he went further down her body. She wasn't even sure what he was doing until she felt his mouth wrap around her nipple through her shirt. "Oh god." Teeth scrapped against the moistened material and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why she didn't put on a bra when she answered the door. "Oliver."

Her hands pulled almost painfully at his hair, but he wasn't done. He took the other nipple in his mouth, showing it just as much attention as the last. Her body arched underneath him urging him on even as she continued to try and pull him away. When he finally did move back up her body, he slid his hand under her shirt and brushed one of the hardened peaks with his thumb. Just as he kissed her and gently pinched her nipple she wrapped her legs around him, grinding against his hardening erection. Oliver groaned into her neck and forced himself to grab her hip and push it back into the bed. "I wouldn't do that."

"Why?" She didn't recognize the breathy voice as her own. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was getting closer to him. But somehow he managed to hold her down. Slightly upset, she whimpered beneath him and slid her hands between their bodies to grab his enlarged length.

His breath caught in his throat and he unknowing jerked forward into her hand. His will won out though and he grabbed her wrists, pulling them above her head and holding them there. "Because if you don't I'll take you right here and now and I know you would regret it." Her eyes bore into his and then she sighed and relaxed into the bed. "Sorry. I hadn't planned on us getting out of control like this."

"I'll keep my hands to myself, I promise." Slowly, his hands released her wrists and he released her.

Oliver rolled off of her body with a groan and closed his eyes. Before he could even look at her he had to get some semblance of control back. He felt her body move and her breast press against his side. He ignored it. Then she trailed her fingers down his chest and over his stomach until he snatched her hand. "Chloe."

The warning tone in his voice would have been comical if it wasn't for the fact that she wanted to throw her leg over him and straddle his body. "Sorry. I mean it this time." His grip on her hand loosened and she followed through with her promise by sliding her hand back up his body and rested it on his chest. "Oliver?"

"Hm?" His eyes slid shut again and he began counting.

"Will you stay?"

Her leg slid over his and he had a feeling she did it on purpose. Against his better judgment he slid his hand over her exposed thigh. "I certainly can't walk out in the hallway with a hard on." She giggled softly and buried her face into his chest. The sexual tension began to fade away and he looked down at her with an amused glance. She was soon quite again and trailing her fingers up and down his chest. "I hadn't planned on leaving."

"Good." She sighed and let her eyes close. Whether or not she was ready for Oliver she didn't know, but in that moment, in his arms, she was able to forget about everything else.


	5. Chapter 5

"Whoa!" Bart exclaimed as the lift came to a stop.

"Give it a rest." Oliver grounded out. Bart ignored him though and practically pushed Chloe out of the way. Oliver snatched the back of his jacket and yanked him back. "Ladies first you idiot."

"I'm sure that wasn't directed at me." Dinah said with a smirk as she followed Chloe off the lift. "But thanks for the thought."

"Her ankle Bart." Oliver shoved him to the side and stepped off.

"I thought you said ladies first. You're not a lady." Bart joked and followed the rest of them.

"I'm your boss, I employ you, and I'm bigger then you."

"But I'm faster."

When Bart spontaneously appeared in front off the rest of them Oliver frowned frowned. "Bart!"

"Give the kid a break." Victor nudged.

"Wow." Chloe stopped in front of the large computer and surveyed it.

"You too?" Oliver groaned and turned away.

Chloe ignored him and turned to Bruce. "May I?"

"Go for it." He nodded to the chair and turned back to Oliver. "All of your gear arrived about three hours ago; I have it set up in the back."

"What's that?"

"Bart, don't touch anything!" Oliver boomed and turned back to Bruce. "It has something to do with his ability. He just can't sit still."

"We've tried medicating him, but his metabolism is to fast." Victor shrugged.

"So Victor is going to stay behind and monitor the situation from here. I'm going to have Dinah, Bart, and Arthur secure the perimeter. You and I will get Chloe in. How much time?"

"Two hours." Bruce responded.

"Alright guys." Dinah cleared her throat. "And girls. Go ahead and gear up. Victor go ahead and get set up, and run it through with Chloe." Victor nodded and headed to unpack his equipment. "Chloe." She spun in the chair she was currently occupying and looked up at him. "Come here." He watched her foot as she stood up, as he had been the past couple of days since they set the date. She still appeared to be keeping weight off of it, but she'd promised him it was only as a precaution.

She allowed Oliver to lead her away from the others and entered another room of the cave. "Wow."

Oliver looked around and surveyed the various Batman costumes in their glass cases. "Someone has too much time on their hands."

"It's kinda cool." She stepped closer to one of the cases to take a closer look.

"Anyway." She stopped and turned back to him. "You sure you're okay with this? They have to know we're coming. Last time might be easy compared to tonight."

"I'm fine. If we can just avoid the bullets and I can stay on my feet then we're good. Plus, we're already here; I can't very well back out now."

"Sure you can. Tell me you don't want to do it and I'll call the whole thing off." Ever since they had boarded his jet something had been bothering him. It reminded him of the first time he'd gone out as the Green Arrow. His stomach was in knots the whole time. Oliver was nervous.

"Oliver it'll be fine. Don't worry about it." She grinned up at him, but his brow drew together and she swore she could see a vein in his neck ticking. "Ollie."

"I don't like this." Her hand slid up his chest and touched his cheek. He grabbed her hand and pulled it away. She wanted to comfort him, but he didn't want it just then. The last thing he wanted at that moment was to believe everything was fine. "If I don't worry about it then who is?" Somebody had to worry for her.

"Fine." She sighed. "If you're determined to be worried…." She looked around and looked up at him with a grin. "Think Bruce would give me a tour?"

He rolled his eyes. "Do you want an autograph? Maybe you and Bart could start a fan club since you both seem to have a bat crush." Her hands were on his chest again but this time they moved up his body to wrap around his neck. She was teasing him he knew, but his ego was still slightly bruised.

"Aw come on. He's got some cool stuff. But I think the Green Arrow is so much hotter then Batman."

"I'd hope so. Nothing with ears can be that attractive." He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers.

The kiss started out soft, but soon he was pulling her up his body until her feet were barely touching the floor. Chloe slid her hands into his blond hair and silently scolded herself for starting something that they wouldn't be able to finish. As she suspected Oliver soon lowered her back to the ground and pushed her away gently with his hands on her hips.

Chloe dropped her arms from him and released an irritable sigh. For the past couple of weeks since their last time in Gotham City it was always the same with him. They'd kiss then he'd be the first to pull away.

"I know, I know. Look when this is all over-."

"Hey!"

Oliver turned behind them to find Bart sticking his head in.

"Let's get a move on fearless leader."

Chloe glared daggers at Bart and turned back to Oliver. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't. No one knew about their new relationship, and with Bart still standing their tapping his foot there was nothing Oliver could say.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

"Cyborg, status."

"_Everything looks good. Aquaman and Impulse eliminated the security at the south exit. Everything is quiet."_

"Arrow out." Oliver shut off his earpiece and turned back to Chloe. "How are we looking?"

"The download is almost complete. I'm setting up the virus to upload. It shouldn't take as long as last time. The configuration of the computer is almost an exact duplicate."

"If you have to just take what information you can get. I'm not worried about that. I just want to get it destroyed." Batman's low voice said from the darkened corner.

Chloe only nodded. Everything else was silent. She'd made it quite clear before they left to keep the line quiet. The only sound was Oliver breathing behind her and the clicking of her keyboard. When the download reached a hundred percent she pulled out her flash drive and immediately began uploading the virus. "Download complete, the virus is uploading." Then it stopped. "No." She shook head and tried again. "No! No! No!"

"Chloe what is it?" She didn't respond to him though and started typing furiously on her keyboard. "What is it!?"

"It is protected from the virus. It evolved. It built a defense to it. You little shit."

"Can you still destroy it?" Batman said from behind her.

"Probably. The virus was like blowing it up, now I've got to go in and take it down bit by bit."

Oliver frowned and angrily tapped his earpiece. "Canary, Impulse, Aquaman. Sweep the perimeter. We're going to need more time. Cyborg?"

"_Everything is clear."_

"Arrow out."

Chloe pulled her earpiece off as the other began reporting in to Victor. "Don't say a word." She warned the other two men in the room.

The minutes drug by and Oliver had begun pacing until Chloe screamed at him to quit it . Then suddenly the lights dimmed and the room turned dark. "What the hell was that?"

"The computer." Chloe held her breath, waiting. "It's dead. It had been powering the entire building." Then the sirens started.

"Not again." Oliver growled. "Come on Watchtower."

"I can't see!" She grabbed her keyboard and unplugged it and reached blindly for her bag.

"Son of a bitch." Oliver grabbed for her bag and snatched her keyboard. After shoving everything in it he thrusted it into her arms and pulled her off the chair. "Don't fall."

"_Arrow, they're moving in on you from the east and north. You've got forty-five seconds before they reach you."_

"Copy that." The emergency lights came to life and dimly lit the room. "Let's go." Oliver pushed Chloe forward, behind Batman who was leading their escape. "If I tell you to run you run. Understand?"

Her heart was beating hard against her chest. All she could do was nod.

"_Their closing in on you. The south entrance is blocked."_

From the chatter on the other end Oliver knew the others would be of no use to them. "Cyborg. Get them out of here."

"Freeze bat."

Oliver stopped in his tracks at the sound of a gun cocking. This he could handle, but with Chloe there….

"We were expecting you."

"I was expecting you." Batman said gruffly.

Even with the emergency lights Chloe didn't even know what was happening. Just as a scream rung out Oliver pushed her to the ground. She crawled away from the scuffle and thought she was safe when she found herself being yanked up by her hair. Chloe screamed until she felt the barrel of a gun press against here side.

"Where were you going?" He masked man sneered at her.

She didn't even get a chance to fight back. An arrow whistled through the air and was already embedded in her attacker.

"_South exit clear."_

"Watchtower, run!" Oliver aimed another arrow down the long hallway at the approaching men. "Now!"

Chloe snatched her bag and took off down the hallway. "Cyborg?"

"_I'm with you Watchtower. You're all clear. Take a left."_

Screw the super computers. If she ever came across another one she'd just blow up the damn building.

"_Open the second door on your right."_

The directions he was giving her weren't to the south exit. It was plan B, the roof exit. The problem was without Batman or Oliver there was no way of her getting off the roof. She ran up the three flights of stairs and pushed the door open. "Rain." She frowned and shut the door behind her. "Cyborg, I can't get off this roof on my own."

"_Help is on its way." _

Chloe moved away from the entrance, just in case, and stood to the side. It wasn't long before the door flew open. She'd hoped to see green, instead she only so black. "Where is he?"

"On his way. Let's go." Batman grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the edge of the roof.

"No!" She yanked her arm back, but his grip was unrelenting. "Not without him."

"I told him I'd get you out of here if something happened. We're leaving."

"No!" She screamed over the rain and tried to pull out of his grasp. But the grappling hook had already been released and he wrapped an arm around her waist. She tried pushing away but he was already hauling her up to the ledge and then they were flying through the air. They landed on a rooftop and she immediately pushed him away. "How could you do that?! Cyborg! Where is Arrow?!"

"_I've lost him."_

"What?! No." She shook here head. And tried to think of something, anything. "You've got to go back." She stepped in front of Batman. "You can't just leave him there!" There was the sound of something hitting cement and she looked up to find an arrow sticking out of the brick. She spun around just in time to see Oliver land on the roof. But he didn't land on his feet. Instead he went tumbling. "Ollie." She launched herself forward and rolled him onto his back. "Oliver." She pulled his glasses off to reveal his eyes. Slowly they opened and looked up at her. Something was wrong. "What's wrong?" Where her hands had touched his face there was a dark smudge. She looked down at her hands and gasped.

"He's been shot." Batman dropped on the other side of him and unzipped the vest. "One through his shoulder and the other through his side."

"Oh god." She looked over his bloody chest and just stared as the rain tried to rinse it away. Oliver coughed and she looked up to see blood splatter his chin.

"We've got to get him out of here." Batman said and went to grab Oliver but Chloe placed a hand on his arm.

"Wait." She turned to Oliver and leaned over him. "Ollie." She whispered and brushed a hand over his cheek. His eyes opened again and he opened his mouth to talk but only coughed up more blood.

"There is no time."

"Ollie I…" She searched his face and tried to say something, but nothing would come to her. She looked back over at Batman. "Keep me out of the hospital will you? I don't like waking up in the morgue." He drew away and she could tell he understood. Although neither her nor Oliver had told him of her ability Chloe had a feeling he already knew a lot about her. He only nodded.

She turned back to Oliver, lowered her head, and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.


	6. Chapter 6

Waking from sleep and waking from death were two totally different things. When Chloe woke from sleep it was slow, most of the time it took her close to an hour before she was totally awake, which was why she had such a major addiction to coffee. Death on the other hand…waking from that was like someone splashing ice cold water on you while you were sleeping. Every time it was the same. She'd wake with a gasp, drawing breath into her dead lungs, eyes wide. She didn't like it. When her body recovered it was like it was shocked. Every nerve in her body was sensitive, raw, like it was new. She didn't like that either.

"Chloe."

She turned to the familiar voice. That was the other thing she hated. Although she felt wide awake her mind was the last thing to come. It was blank for a few moments while she stared off into space. Memories, smell, taste, voices, speech. It was all last to come. "Oliver?"

He sighed and sat down next to her on the bed. "I don't like this dying thing you do."

"If only you could see it from my end." She shook her head and sat up. He reached out to steady her, but he didn't get it. She was fine. Once she woke up she was perfect, good as new.

"What's it like?" He asked gently and brushed her hair away from her face.

No one had ever asked her, and the truth she'd never really wanted to talk about it. "Like being born." He looked at her strangely for a moment and she felt obligated to clarify herself. "A baby is thrust into this new world with all these sounds, different temperatures, smells. It has to be a shock to their body." She shook her head and tried to forget the feeling. "How long?"

"Eighteen hours." He brushed his thumb over her cheek then dropped it.

"Really? That's nod bad." She only received another strange look. "Every time I died it got longer. This is actually an improvement."

"Well don't tell me that. I hadn't had the pleasure of seeing you dead before." She smiled apologetically at him and he couldn't help but frown. "Chloe…"

"Don't even say it. You're alive and I'm alive. That's all that matters. If it was my life in danger I would think you'd do everything you could too." He sighed but she knew the subject was dropped. "You're okay?"

"As good as new. Who would have ever thought I had a bullet in my lungs." Her brow creased and he could see she was troubled. "Sorry. Bad joke."

"Next time let someone help you. If Bruce had stayed you might not have been shot."

"And if Bruce had stayed you might have been dead."

Chloe pursed her lips together then sighed. "Alright, let's just drop it. We're both fine." She finally looked around at her surroundings and scrunched her brow. "Where are we?"

"Still at Bruce Wayne's palace." Chloe snorted at his comment and he frowned. "If one more person raves on about how great Batman and Bruce Wayne are I'm going to point an arrow right at their head." Oliver wrapped a hand around her neck and pulled her close enough to him so that he could press a gentle kiss to her forehead. When he pulled away there were only inches between them. "I've got your clothes here. Go shower. I'll let everyone else know you're awake and I'll come right back."

Chloe nodded and watched him get up to leave. Oliver had been with her the whole time she had no doubt. Chloe on the other, she'd just woken up. "Okay." He shut the door behind him and she looked with dread towards the bathroom. She probably needed a shower, but there were so many other things running through her mind at that moment. Most of them had to do with Oliver.

It wasn't long before Chloe retreated from the bathroom. As promised Oliver was sitting at a small table tapping away on a laptop. She constantly forgot that the Justice League was only a side job. His real job was being CEO of Queen Industries.

"Feel better?" He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. She nodded, but didn't move from where she stood. The best way to describe her stance was lost. "What is it?" She shook her head and headed towards her luggage. "Chloe."

"I don't know. I just want to go home." She only prayed he had plans to fly them back to Metropolis soon. She needed something familiar. A click signaled the sound of his laptop closing and she felt her chest tighten at the thought of being confronted by him. Instead of trying to search for a pair of appropriate shoes she walked over to the bed and sat down.

Oliver walked over and took a seat next to her on the bed. "I'm not that dense Chloe. What's going on?"

'You were almost dead' she wanted to tell him. To her it was just moments ago. The last two months of her life had been horrible chain of events that led up to a dreadful finale. Davis had lost his life anyway and so had others in the process of her trying to protect him. Lois and Clark were gone and Jimmy dead. What she considered to be her life now seemed to only be a piece of what it used to be. Before, she had a husband, a cousin, a best friend, and a job at the Planet that she loved. Some changes she was glad for, such as taking on her Watchtower duties full time, but others…. The truth was sometimes she wasn't sure if she was doing fine or not. She liked to tell herself that she was, but she never really knew. What if Oliver hadn't made it to the rooftop? "Are we going home soon?"

"Hey." He rested a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him. "We're not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on." He tried to find some trace of emotion on her face, but it was empty. Normally she was like an open book. "Chloe, I will shake you."

"What if you hadn't made it to the rooftop?" His hand fell away from her and she immediately felt the loss of it harder then she probably should have. Within just a couple of weeks she'd come to depend on him, like an emotional crutch, and that wasn't a good thing.

It wasn't hard for Oliver to see where this was going. "But I did." She opened her mouth to most likely argue with him but he cut her off. "Don't give me 'what ifs' Chloe. I don't want to hear it." He was rather harsh with her, but he wasn't about to allow her to go down that road.

"I don't have very many people left in my life. Just a couple of months after…." A lump filled in her throat and she found she couldn't even say it. She still couldn't even talk about it. What if Oliver had been right? What if it turned out it was too soon. "Then you get shot, almost die." She shook her head when she felt the tears beginning to blur her vision. She wanted him to reach for her, pull her into his arms, but he didn't. Just that thought made her disgusted with herself. "I couldn't….." She sighed and pressed the heals of her hands to her eyes. "I should have known I wouldn't be able to handle this so soon." Hands on her wrists pulled her hands down and she found her eyes meeting Oliver's furious ones.

"Now listen to me." He dropped her hands and leaned forward. "I asked you if it was too early. I knew it was too early." She looked away from him but he wasn't going to have any of that. "Look at me." When her eyes met his again tears were already streaming down her cheeks. What he should have done was comfort her, but instead he was angry. "This isn't just about you Chloe."

"I just…I just can't deal with someone dying again!" She wiped the tears from her face roughly. "I hate myself enough already. I want you, and then I feel guilty about it. I think what is Clark going to say when he comes back?"

She was determined to find any way possible to find something wrong. "Enough." He grabbed her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. "Jimmy is gone." Her face twisted in pain and her eyes became glassy with unshed tears. "That isn't your fault. Lois is gone, it's not your fault she can't keep herself out of trouble. Clark is gone and that is no ones fault but his own. He had no right saying what he said to you. Clark needs to stop playing the victim." Oliver inhaled deeply and tried to relax. It wasn't her fault either. He'd panicked at seeing her withdraw from him. "But I'm here and that is your fault. You let me in and you saved my life. So it's too late for that. If you wanted to get rid of me you should have let me die."

"Oliver!" She exclaimed angrily and pulled away so she could slap his arm. "Don't say that." The vision of him so close to death was still so fresh in her mind.

Oliver took her hand in his and cradled her cheek with his other hand. "You can't push me away. Okay?" She nodded. Slowly he brought his other hand back up to her face and gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. She sat still in front of him, cheeks blotchy, eyes glassy, and blond eyelashes thick with tears. "Chloe." Her lips parted and she inhaled sharply. She knew what he wanted and wasn't even going to try to stop him. Slowly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. First sucking gently on her bottom lip and then on her top. Her mouth opened to him and he took it possessively.

Chloe leaned into him as he threaded his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer. But it was never close enough. She grabbed his shoulder and threw a leg over him and settled herself onto his lap with a relieved sigh. If he had any objections to their new position he definitely didn't show them. His free hand slid under her shirt and up her back. Chloe arched her body into him, rubbing her breasts hard against his chest. But there were too many clothes between them to even bring her close enough to being satisfied. She dropped her hands to find the hem of his t-shirt and pulled away from him just long enough to yank it off of his body and toss it to the floor. She let her fingers slide over the hard planes of his body and feel every muscle as it moved under her hands. But it only made her want more. She rolled her hip hard over his growing erection and gasped into his mouth at the friction it created.

Oliver's hands flew to her hips and he forced her down harder. She whimpered into his mouth, nails digging into his back. She rose up off of him slightly and lowered herself back down again to grind against him. Oliver held her hips roughly in his hands to still her movements. "Stop." She whimpered against his lips and fought to rub herself against him again. He only got harder and her insistence. "Chloe you've got to stop."

"Please." He was breathing hard against her lips and she could tell he was only hanging on by a thread. "I don't want to stop. I need you Oliver." His face gave away nothing, but suddenly an arm wrapped around her waste and she found herself lying on her back.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Oliver mumbled into her ear and trailed kisses down her neck. She lifted her hips towards his and this time he didn't fight it. He pressed his erection between her legs and took pleasure in her gasp.

"Oliver. Clothes." He lifted his body off of hers and yanked her shirt roughly off her body. His lips descended onto her and his hands snuck underneath her back. She arched up into him, and allowing him to unsnap her bra. His lips left hers and she watched through half lidded eyes as he made his way down her body, trailing kisses down her neck and down her chest until he came to the edge of her bra. She arched up into him, hoping he would take the hint and slide her bra off her body. "Ollie." She whimpered.

He grinned and moved back up her body. Her disappointed whine only fueled him on. Gently, he pressed a kiss to one of her shoulders and slowly began sliding the straps down. Moments later it lay on the floor forgotten.

Chloe reached for him again to pull him back to her, but his hands wrapped around hers and held them down on either side of her head. His head lowered to her chest where he began kissing a trail between the valley of her breasts. "Oliver, please." Her body bowed underneath him, begging for more attention.

Oliver took one nipple in his both, dragging his teeth over it. She cried out under him and he soothed it gently with his tongue before moving to the other. He sucked gently on the hardened nub then bit down. Her hands pulled from his but he only pushed them harder into the bed as he sucked the hardened nipple back into his mouth.

It didn't take her long to realize that pleading with him only made her torture worse. So instead of trying to fight him she wrapped her legs around his body and rolled her hips against him in an attempt to relieve the building pressure inside of her. In response he bit down again. It didn't hurt, but it didn't stop her body from tensing and her hips from jerking up against his.

"What do you want Chloe?" He sucked apologetically on her nipple and slid back up her body. For a moment he considered releasing here hands, but thought better of it. Instead, he pulled them above her head and wrapped one hand around both wrists, freeing up his other hand. He massaged one of her breasts with his hand, rolling the hardened nipple in his fingers. She bit her lip and pressed harder against him. "Chloe?"

"You." He pinched her nipple and she tightened her legs around him. She pulled on her hands again, but his grip was solid. "Oliver, please."

"Are you going to try and push me away again?" When she didn't answer he slid his hand between them and rubbed his hand over her core. "Are you?"

"No." She gasped and let her body fall back into the bed as he rubbed her.

"I won't let you Chloe." He pressed a kiss to her lips and slowly released her wrists.

Chloe didn't even think. She responded passionately back to his kiss, her tongue dueling with his, as she reached down between them and found the button of this jeans. Just when she was beginning to wonder how she would be able to get them off his body he sat up, kneeling in front of her, and preceded to quickly rid her of her pants. As he slid them down her body he took her panties with them, leaving her naked before him. He stood at the end of the bed a rid himself of his remaining clothes.

Instead of sinking himself into her like he wanted, Oliver leaned over and nudged her legs apart. He pressed a kiss to the inside of both thighs before flicking his tongue of the tiny nub of flesh.

Chloe jerked under him and almost clamped her legs shut, but was stopped by his hands around her thigh. His tongue touched her again and she threw her head back as she cried out. "Oh god." The pressure continued to build and she reached out blindly, gathering the sheets in her hands, and pulling away from him. In response he only pulled her back down the bed. When he finally stopped she wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed. Just as she began to catch her breath his fingers slid inside of her and she cried out. "Oliver." She whimpered and reached for him as he moved up her body.

"What?" He pulled his fingers out and slid them back in. Her hips lifted off the bed, meeting his hands. "What do you want Chloe?" Oliver pressed his fingers deeper and massaged her clit with his thumb. Her body arched beneath him and he couldn't help a small smirk as she whimpered and call out his name. "Tell me." Oliver lowered his head and took a nipple in his mouth. With a gentle bite she yanked him up by his hair and pulled his lips to hers.

Chloe pulled away from his kiss when he added another finger. "Please."

"What Chloe?"

"I need you." She reached down for his erection and wrapped her hand around it. "Inside me." His fingers slid out of her and he positioned himself above her. She dropped her hand from him and wrapped her legs around his waste, locking her ankles tightly together.

Oliver pressed the tip of himself against her slick opening and slowly slid into her. He'd attempted to brace himself for it, but nothing could have prepared him for the feel of her surrounding him, squeezing him. When he was fully sheathed within her he dropped his head into the crook of her neck and groaned. "God Chloe." She pressed her hips against his with a whimper and it took his hand on her hip to still her. "Wait." With a few moments to adjust he began moving slowly inside of her.

Their pace was slow at first, but every time he slid into her he pushed hard and deep. Her body protested at first to the intrusion and she dug her nails into his back in response to each thrust. But eventually it all gave way to pleasure and she relaxed under him.

Oliver did his best to keep it slow, ending each deep inside of her, eliciting the same whimpers and gasps each time. Her hands clung to him, nails cutting into his skin. Her hips shifted up slightly and he sunk even deeper, forcing a moan from her body. Oliver squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his head into the crook of her neck. He placed a desperate kiss on the side over her neck and rocked harder into her. "Chloe, I can't…." How the hell was he supposed to tell her that he wasn't able to hang on much longer?

"Harder." His lips landed on hers hard, tongue pushing past her lips and kissing her greedily. Chloe's chest heaved, pulling breath back into her deprived body once he pulled away. Just as she was about to reach for him he hooked her legs and dropped them on his shoulders. The muscles in her body complained at the unfamiliar position, but as he entered her she forgot everything.

Oliver grabbed her hips as they arched off the bed and held them firmly as he pounded back into her body.

"Oh god!" She wanted to reach for him, but he was too far. Instead she settled for grasping the sheets in her fists. He entered her again, hard and unrelentless. "Harder." She gasped. When he slipped back into her Chloe bit her lip against the scream and was only slightly relieved when she only cried out.

With her body arching up against him, her screams, and commands for him to go harder he wasn't sure how much more he could take. The last thing he had expected from his first time with Chloe was to be fucking her senseless. Good girls like her didn't like that, he should have known better.

He tilted her hips higher, piercing something inside of her that left her crying out and her body arching against her will.

She screamed his name and he would have taken pleasure in it if it wasn't for the fact that he finally let himself go at the first sound of her cries. He groaned out her name and jerked into her as she milked the last bit of him. The next thing he knew he was collapsed on top off her. Her small hands trailed soothingly up his back and he knew he should roll off of her small body, but he couldn't move.

Chloe rolled her hips against him and moaned in pleasure. His hips jerked against hers and he pushed himself off of her body.

"Sensitive Chloe." He rolled off of her and collapsed onto the bed.

Chloe watched Oliver in amusement. His eyes were closed and she would have thought him asleep if it wasn't for his chest rising and falling at an unnatural pace. As if testing the waters she reached out and slid a finger down his slick chest and rested her hand over his beating heart. "I know you not sleeping."

"Just trying to remember how to breathe." Oliver opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to find her on her side, head propped up on her hand. Unknowingly his eyes drifted lower to her firm breasts and he felt himself begin to harden, but it was probably a lost cause. He wouldn't be good for at least another two hours. Then at that point they would already be on their way to boarding the jet. Which meant it would probably be another ten hours before he could take her again. Mentally he scolded himself for already planning out when he would have sex with her again. With a groan he rolled onto his side to face her and pulled her hips closer to him. "As much as I'd like to lay in bed with you, I'd much rather get you back to Metropolis."

"Me too." She pressed her lips to his and slid a hand around his waist. "Just a couple of minutes though."

Oliver pressed a kissed to her forehead and tucked her into his body. "Just a few minutes."


	7. Chapter 7

Note: I think this story is nearing its wrapping up point. I'm hoping to finish it in the next chapter unless something else hits me (which I don't think it will). Hope you enjoy it. Not very long, but a new twist.

* * *

"Oh Oliver." Chloe pouted as he refilled her wine glass. She was already on her third glass.

"What?" He asked innocently and set the empty bottle to the side. Oliver had only just poured his second.

"I won't be able to walk." She took the glass and brought it to her lips. The golden liquid slid over her tongue and she sighed as she settled it back on the table. She'd never had a bottle of wine over thirty dollars. The one they had just finished was over three hundred.

"I'm sure I could find a better reason for you not being able to walk." She raised her eyebrows at him and he only smirked behind his wineglass. In fact he was counting on her not being able to walk. To his displeasure, when they arrived back in Metropolis the previous night, she had fallen asleep on him. He'd walked away for only a few minutes to shower and came back to find her sprawled out in his bed passed out. Oliver swore he'd make up for it.

"You promise?" She grinned playfully. All of their earlier reservations were gone since the previous day.

"Do you know how long it's been since we were in Gotham?" He sat back and raised his eyebrows.

Chloe fought against smiling. Oliver was different then most men she'd been with, meaning that he didn't mind being so blatantly obvious about wanting to have sex with her. Her mind briefly flew to their one and only time together and she knew she was just as anxious. It wasn't all about that she knew. After all, it was rather difficult to hide the fact that Oliver had been spending so much time with her. Photographers and a few annoying paparazzi had followed them into the restaurant bombarding Oliver with questions about her and their trip to Gotham. Their relationship was no longer secret.

"Go ahead and finish your wine. We're getting out of here while the going is good." Oliver waved to the waiter and leaned forward to pull his wallet out of his back pocket.

Chloe glanced towards the windows far at the head of the restaurant. He was right. The paparazzi that had lingered around for about an hour were now gone. She sipped idly on the wine while he paid and asked the waiter to have his car brought around. As usual the waiter was nothing but courteous. Chloe had been out to eat at restaurants before, but she had never gotten the royal treatment that Oliver did. "I don't think I ever get _that_ kind of service." She whispered once the waiter walked off.

Oliver laid money on the table and smirked. "As long as you're with me you will. Come on princess."

Chloe took one last huge gulp of her wine and allowed him to take her hand. She'd never been a big drinker, but something about the surreal situation she'd found herself in with Oliver made her feel like she might need that last bit.

* * *

"This isn't my place." Chloe grinned up at him and stepped back when he moved closer only to find her back against the gate of the elevator.

"No." Oliver leaned forward and rested a hand beside her head. "It's not. If you'd like you can call it kidnapping." He dropped the other hand to her hip and pulled her towards him as the gate opened. Just as he was about to lower his head to hers he became fully aware of their company.

The playful, sexy look that Chloe had become accustomed to the whole night suddenly disappeared. She opened her mouth to question him, but it didn't take her long to realize he was staring behind her, face hard and angry. She spun around and the first person she saw in the room was Clark. She started to speak, but then she saw Lois. "Lois!" All thoughts of Clark and Oliver forgotten, she bounded forward and enveloped her cousin in a hug then she pushed her back. "Are you okay? Where were you?"

Lois looked to Oliver questioningly then to Chloe. "I'm fine." She shook her head. "Smallville here came to bail me out, said I wound up in the future somehow." Lois waved her hand. "Whatever. I don't remember a thing and neither does he since we got back."

Chloe glanced quickly to Clark, but it didn't take her long to determine that Clark knew a lot more then Lois did. "Doesn't matter. As long as you're safe. You're safe right?" Oliver moved out of the corner of her eye and her heart began thudding in her chest when she noticed Clark's head follow him all the way until Oliver sat down.

"Yea, I'm great." Lois looked with a confused expression at Oliver then Clark before shaking her head and turning back to Chloe. "Clark, told me about Jimmy and what happened. Chloe I'm-."

"It's okay. You don't have to say it." She smiled sadly at her cousin who for the first time looked as if she was without words.

"I know, but I should have been here for you, instead of lost somewhere in a future I don't even remember. I just should have been here."

"It wasn't your fault." Chloe rested a hand on her distressed cousin's arm.

"I'm just glad your okay. Clark and I went looking for you and when we couldn't find you..." Lois snapped her mouth shut and shot a warning glance at Clark, but it was too late.

"When we couldn't find you we happened to walk past a newsstand and find the infamous Oliver Queen plastered over the Gazette with his new girlfriend that he took to Gotham City." Clark bit out icily.

Chloe drew away from Lois and straitened up. "It wasn't like that." She tried not to falter, but it was Clark's disapproving glare that got to her. Even as much as she wanted to be mad at him for deserting her she was the one that wound up feeling guilty. "We went to Gotham City for work."

"And just now?" Clark stepped forward, disregarding the other two people in the room. "I felt guilty for leaving you. All I could think about was what you were going through by yourself. Now I can see I was wrong."

"Clark, stop it." Lois admonished, but no one was listening to her.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Chloe grounded out. His words made her feel ashamed, but at the same time she felt the need to defend herself. Clark had no business criticizing her when he hadn't been around for the past two months of her life.

"Don't I? Jimmy has been gone two months and you're off gallivanting around with Oliver as if your husband didn't just die? I felt horrible about it. That's why I left. But you, you move on with your life like nothing happened!"

He could barely see her face from were he sat lounging back in the bar stool. But her body jumped when Clark yelled, and her head lowered, taking Clark's admonishment as if she deserved it. Oliver could see Clark breaking her back down to the woman he had to force back on her own two feet three months ago.

"Did you even care?!" Clark yelled, determined to get a response out of her.

"Hey!" Oliver stepped off the stool and took his place between Chloe and Clark. "You're more then welcome to leave whenever you feel ready." Oliver tried to bite his tongue, but then he heard Chloe sniffle behind him and his temper got the better of him. "Or I have a special arrow with your name on it Clark."

"You couldn't keep your hands to yourself, could you Oliver?"

"Clark, stop it." Lois grabbed his arm and tried pulling him away, but he wouldn't have it.

"No." Oliver shook his head. "How much has Chloe given up in her life, just for you. Jobs, friends, love, any kind of relationship, then you decide at the worst time in her life you need to _find yourself_."

"I went to find Lois." Clark grounded out defending himself.

"You went to find Lois, but I also know what you said." Oliver shot back. "You've been the most important thing in her life for to long. Everything else she has put to the side, just for you." It was just too much for him to stand there and not say anything. Oliver was probably just as much out of line as the self righteous alien before him, but when it came to keeping the women standing behind him he really didn't care. "I won't be pushed to the side Clark." It didn't matter that Clark had more power then Oliver and thirty or more men put together. It didn't bother him, because the one thing Oliver knew is that Clark was insecure and pulling Chloe away from him, telling him that she wasn't dependent on him, wasn't living her life to protect him, would hurt him. It was within Oliver's power to take Chloe from Clark, and he would. It was mean, but it was the only way to insure that Chloe would remain his. It wasn't Oliver's intention to hurt Clark, but there was only one way to protect his own happiness. "And I don't share."

Chloe feared Clark's reaction to Oliver's bold statement, but some part of her was grateful that he said it. There was always that small part of her that knew one day she wouldn't be able to devote her whole being to Clark. That day came with the arrival of Oliver. Clark's eyes met her for the briefest of seconds. He seemed to be waiting, expecting her to step out from behind Oliver and say that it wasn't true. Instead she kept her feet planted to the ground and met his gazed head on. When his eyes broke away he was already heading out the door.

"Clark!" Lois called after him and frowned. She slowly shook her head and turned back to Chloe. "Sorry about that. He's been on edge the whole time."

Chloe nodded absentmindedly and turned to Oliver. "Can we have a minute?" He stood their, stock still, as if debating on whether he would leave her alone or night. Eventually he nodded and left Chloe alone with Lois. "Look, about Oliver…"

"It doesn't matter." Lois waved her off. "I mean it's weird. But I understand. Oliver is Oliver and obviously the two of you have that super hero stuff in common. Plus, from what I can tell he's been the only one here for you." She waited for Chloe to respond, but her cousin seemed to be at a loss for words, and Lois knew it wasn't Oliver's doing. "He'll come around. Clark's just weird, I don't get it. Whatever happened…." Lois sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. Then when he saw that picture of you and Oliver…"

"I know." But she refused to worry about Clark at that moment. Chloe had made her decision about Oliver knowing full well that Clark would return at some point. "Lois, your job at the Planet. I told them that you needed to take a sabbatical to take care of a sick relative in Germany."

"And that worked?"

Chloe shrugged. "I think they decided they didn't have much choice if they wanted their favorite reporter back." A smug smile passed over Lois' face and Chloe fought from rolling her eyes. "Your stuff on the other hand is jammed into a storage facility. Which by the way you owe me about three hundred dollars for at this point. Your apartment is a goner though. I wasn't going to keep up your rent." Arms enveloped her and Chloe's eyes went wide as Lois squeezed the breath out of her.

"I knew you were my favorite cousin."

"I'm your only cousin." Chloe smiled and hugged her back. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Clark's an idiot and Oliver is lucky."

"I know." But it helped to hear someone say it. They pulled away and Chloe reached into her purse, pulling out a set of keys. "You can stay with me right now though. Let me just let Olive know I'm leaving." Just the thought of leaving him bothered her. She should have wanted to leave, spend time with her cousin. But her thoughts were still so full of Oliver.

"No!" Lois cringed at her exclamation and turned to where Oliver disappeared. She smirked haughtily. "From the look of Mr. Queen I don't think he's ready to let you leave the tower yet."

"Lois, that really isn't necessary…"

"No, I insist. Plus, I rode down here with Clark. I'm sure he's sitting in the car now pouting. Let me deal with Smallville. He's going to wish he left me in the future." Lois grinned and snagged the keys from Chloe. "Why don't you go put that man in a better mood?"

Chloe opened her mouth to respond, but Lois was already walking away.

"And don't call me." Lois stepped into the elevator. "I know you worry, but I'll call you. I'm going to spend tomorrow getting my job back. Good luck!"

Chloe breathed in deeply as the elevator went down, taking Lois with it. The tower was quite, she couldn't even hear Oliver. Slowly, she began making her way to his bedroom. Her heart hammered in her chest as she opened the door. "Hey."

"Hey." Oliver grabbed his jacket and tie, which he had laid on the bed, and tossed them to the floor.

Chloe took that as an invitation and crossed the room to take a seat next to him. "I'm sorry about earlier. It wasn't your fault."

"It wasn't yours either." He tilted his head to the side to get a better look at her face. He was all too familiar with that sad look. "But I don't think I helped matters much."

"No." Even so, Chloe smiled slightly at his outburst. "But Clark didn't want human entanglements did he?"

"That isn't the point." She turned to look at him, waiting for him to elaborate further. "Regardless of what his current mood is I was serious. Call me selfish if you like, but I won't be pushed to the side for Clark. He's your friend, your best friend, I understand that. But what's going on between us is more then that and I won't be second to Clark." At first he was worried he'd crossed the line, demanded a bit more then he should have. Then she smiled.

"Aren't you demanding?"

"No." Oliver lifted his hand to her face and cradled her cheek "Just a spoiled billionaire who likes attention. Are you leaving?"

"No. Lois made it quite clear that I should stay. I'm kind of glad she did. I just don't really feel like talking tonight." His fingers gently combed through her hair, pushing a few stray strands behind her ear. "Should I have gone with her?"

Oliver threaded his fingers through her hair and cradled the back of her head with his hand. "You're asking me?" He pressed a kiss to her lips. "Remember, I don't like to share."

"I just feel bad." Chloe sighed and lifted her hand to the buttons of his shirt and fiddled with them idly.

"Would you feel better leaving?" Oliver should have been playing fair. He shouldn't have been sliding his fingers through her hair or pressing kisses against her neck. He wasn't foolish; there was no way she would leave if he continued to touch her. With all the control he could muster he pulled back and looked into her eyes for reassurance.

"No." Chloe shook her head and sighed. "Would it be selfish of me to say I'd rather hide out here with you?"

"You mean any more selfish then me wanting to keep you here in my bed when your cousin and best friend just returned." Oliver pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "No, I don't consider you selfish at all."

Chloe glanced at the dark green comforter and slid her hand over it, smoothing out the wrinkles. She idly noticed that the bed was made and she had to wonder if he usually did so or if it had just been for her benefit. "It is a nice bed." She looked back at him and smirked. "It would be a shame not to use it."

"I'm glad you agree." He said before kissing her and pushing her back onto the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Notes: So I'm not quite sure how the second part of this happened. It just did. I like this chapter, but I don't think I wrote it very well. I wanted to finish it pretty badly but it's almost two in the morning and I'm really tired. I'm not to sure how bad the editing is either. I thought this would be the last chapter but now I'm thinking one more.

* * *

Oliver walked back into his darkened room and glanced down at the naked woman curled up in his bed. One more time he considered waking her and telling her he was going out, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. If she did wake it wouldn't be hard for her to realize where he'd gone, and she knew better then anyone how to get in touch with him.

It was thirty minutes into his patrols when he heard the sound of wind and feet hitting pavement. Oliver turned, without any concern, to find exactly what he expected. "Clark."

"I had a feeling you would be out here."

"And I had a feeling you were going to hunt me down sooner or later." Oliver flipped off his voice distorter, but left the remainder of his disguise in place. "Here for retribution? Maybe throw me around for a bit for shooting you with that arrow, going behind your back, stealing away your best friend."

"As much as I would like to hit you I'm not." Clark stepped forward and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself.

"You're probably right; I can't imagine Chloe would be too happy if I had a black eye when I got home." Oliver could see Clark's face harden at his mention of Chloe and he couldn't help but take some silent pleasure in it.

Clark chose to ignore Oliver's dig. "So we both screwed up. That's obvious."

Oliver stepped forward into the shadows and pulled off his glasses. "Are you serious? After all these months you're still walking around with blinders on? This is about your best friend."

"Your right, it is. So explain to me how three months ago she is was about to reconcile with her husband, only to have him killed, and now she's with you. I knew you moved fast, but I didn't think that fast." Clark paused for a moment for good measure then continued. "How about we talk about you taking advantage of someone who just lost everything and probably isn't over her dead husband."

"Last time I checked what happened between Chloe and I is between us. Not everything that goes on in her life is your business Clark." But Clark's words shook him to the core. Clark had managed to bring alive every fear that Oliver had regarding Chloe since he'd first recognized his feelings for her. "When you were off playing reporter with Lois and leaving Chloe behind she was working for me. When you left I was the one that was still there, watching over her."

"I told you that I went for Lois." Clark ground out.

"And I stayed with Chloe."

Clark wouldn't allow himself to speak just yet. Anything he said would only further their argument. It didn't take long for Clark to realize that certain changes were out of his control. Lois, who at one point had not even been a significant part in his life, who in fact had been in love with Oliver, now was a large part of his. Chloe on the other hand, had always been there for him, been his rock to lean on, was slowly slipping away from him into Oliver's hands. She'd sacrificed everything for him until there was nothing left, and when Clark left to find Lois Oliver had picked up the pieces taking her for himself in the process. "What do you want from her?"

"Is that really something I should be discussing with you?" The truth was Oliver had no clue. Everything with Chloe was so new and strange that half the time he didn't even know what he was doing.

"I don't need the details. I want to know that you aren't going to leave Chloe in worse shape then you found her. You're right, she's lost enough, can she really deal with losing someone else?"

"Chloe's fine. I couldn't help the bad timing."

"And what about what happened with Lois? That didn't work out to well for you either. How do you know that same thing won't happen again?"

Oliver bit down on his first response, which was to ask Clark why he was complaining since now Lois was free for Clark to have for himself. It would have made him feel good, but it wouldn't have gotten Chloe any closer to a reconciliation with Clark, which is ultimately what she needed. "I think Chloe is a little more accepting of my extra curricular activities. Would you rather her out there on her own or with me? Is there anyone else that you know of that could keep her safe?"

"I have no doubt of your ability to protect her. But I have a feeling you're only going to get her into more trouble."

Oliver couldn't help but be slightly relieved that Clark wasn't aware of Chloe's sprained ankle or their troubles in Gotham. "Chloe was working for me before this happened. I don't see how our relationship changes anything."

"I can't stop you. But you better take special care you don't screw this up." Clark spared Oliver one more hardened look before taking off.

He disappeared in a blur of red, leaving Oliver to his own thoughts. Oliver should have felt relieved by Clark's reluctant acceptance, but Clark had only served to reawaken Oliver's original concerns.

* * *

Chloe glanced towards the sound of the elevator. Unconsciously she gathered the comforter to her neck and waited for the bedroom door to open. It was only seconds before it crept open, shinning light into the room. As she suspected he was in full Green Arrow regalia, minus the hood and glasses. "You could have told me."

"I didn't want to wake you." Oliver glanced at the TV then at the clock. It was nearing five in the morning; the sun would be rising at any moment. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She reached one hand out and laid it on the bed, palm facing up. To her relief he came forward and sat on the side of the bed. "Anything good?"

Oliver almost told her about Clark, but he couldn't bring himself to rehash the whole conversation. "Nothing worth leaving you lying naked in my bed for." She grinned up at him, soothing his fears. "I need to ask you something." Her smile faded away, and wide green eyes bore into him. "I need to know you're okay with this. I don't want to do this only to find out that you weren't ready."

"I still feel sad for Jimmy, I feel bad about all of it." Chloe reached up and cradled his cheek with his hand. "But you make me happy. Why would I not want that?" His hand covered the one that rested against his cheek and pulled it to his lips. Chloe smiled softly as she pressed a kiss to her fingers. "I like this." Chloe pulled her hand from him and reached for his hood. He didn't stop her as she pulled it back over his head, hiding his face in shadows. "It's kind of sexy." She slid her hand down his exposed bicep, relishing in the feel of his hardened muscles moving underneath her hand.

"How long have you been thinking that?" Oliver pressed his hands onto the bed on either side of her body and leaned his body over hers. She shifted against him, turning onto her back and releasing the covers.

"I won't tell." He leaned over and she grasped his arm in anticipation. She felt foolish as her body tensed, waiting for him. She was pitiful indeed if just the thought of him in his leathers sent her body into overdrive. Just when she expected his lips to touch hers his lips traveled south, pressing a kiss against her neck. "Ollie."

"Shhh." He pulled back just enough that he could see her body again and then pushed the covers down, revealing her bar breasts to him. With one brush of his thumb she shuddered.

Chloe wrapped her arm around him, her hand wresting over the hood, and pulled him closer. This time he didn't pull away. Chloe let him force his tongue passed her lips. His gloved fingers pinched her nipple making her whimper into his mouth, but it didn't linger long above her breasts. The leather slid down her body, over her stomach, and between her legs. One cold leather finger slid inside over her.

Her body pressed against him and Oliver watched in fascination as she pulled her lips from him and cried out. He slid another finger into her and pushed his fingers deeper.

Chloe dropped her arm from him and grasped at the sheets as his fingers forced her open. Slowly they slid out and pressed back into her, this time the roughness of one of his gloved fingers rubbing against her clit. Chloe threw her head back, crying out.

"I guess we'll have to expand your duties as Watchtower." Her chest heaved, hips rising to his hand, and body arching off the bed. As much as he loved watching her response to him Oliver wasn't much in the mood for waiting. He slid his fingers from her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Chloe didn't even have time to miss the feel of him as he lifted her from the bed and dropped her back onto the mattress with her feet dangling over the side.

Oliver bent over her, biting her bottom lip and taking advantage of her gasp by thrusting his tongue into her mouth. Oliver made quick work of his pants, not even bothering to push them down.

He was hard and sliding the length of himself against. Chloe grabbed for him, guiding his head to her opening, but he only pulled back. Chloe arched up, rubbin herself against him and whimpered. "Please."

Oliver smirked beneath the shadows of his hood and flipped on the voice distorter. "Turn over."

It shouldn't have made her whimper and arch her hips towards him, trying to take in any bit of him. He was still the same person, but laying beneath him naked with him over her in his leathers, face hidden beneath his hood, and the strange grated voice demanding her, she couldn't help but obey. Just as she pushed herself onto her arms his gloved hands were on her hips, flipping her over and hauling her onto her knees. Chloe pressed her hands into the mattress, trying to plant herself safely into it just in time for him thrust into her, stretching here almost painfully, wrenching a cry from her.

"Is this what you wanted?" He tightened his hold on her hips, sliding out and then quickly yanking her back, surrounding himself with her.

Chloe dug her nails into the bed, fisting the sheets in her hands. He pounded into her again and she dropped her head. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back and forcing himself deeper into her body. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and gasped. "Oh god." She could feel him lean over her, his leather vest pressing against her bare back. Hands slid through her hair, grasping at the strands and forcing her head back by the roots.

"Is this what you wanted Watchtower?"

"Yes." She whimpered pitifully. The only other man she'd ever been with was Jimmy, but it had never been like that. Not rough and hard and exciting. The lingering pain had given way and she tilted her back side up, somehow taking him in deeper.

Oliver fisted her hair harder and tightened his arm around her waist as she rocked against him. Oliver dropped his forehead against her back and fought against groaning. She whimpered beneath him, but pushed back harder against him each time. It took everything in him not lose himself. "Stop." Her backside lifted higher, pressing harder again. "Stop it." Oliver gave her hair a gentle tug to push his words even further home. "You don't know how bad I just want to fuck you."

"Do it." His warm breath brushed over her back then she felt him pulling away. His hands gripped her hips tightly and her body tensed in anticipation of what she couldn't see coming. She barely had time to prepare herself as he pulled out and thrusted back into her. "Oh god." Her arms buckled beneath her and she leaned forward onto the bed, the only thing holding her up was his hand on her hips. He continued to penetrate her, hard and relentless, lifting her knees off the bed, taking her harder each time.

Sometimes he'd slow and she'd whimper beneath him, begging him for more until he sped up, knowing that her body would be bruised and hurting but past carrying. Each time he forced himself past her tight walls he'd push harder, relishing in every cry and scream that escaped her lips. Then her body arched, the 'oh gods' came closer together, and she screamed his name. The release that he'd been holding back for what seemed like forever finally escaped him as he pounded into her frantically her name falling from his lips as he dug his fingers into her soft hips.

It was only his hands that held her up. When her hips were free from him she fell to the bed and lay there gasping. She barely noticed the bed give under her and as he rested his hands on either side of her. Chloe forced herself to role over and found him leaning over her, his head hanging low. Her tired arms reach up for him and slid the zipper of his vest down. Once it opened she gently pulled it off of each arm, sighing when she finally met his eyes.

Oliver sighed deeply and pressed a kiss to her lips before forcing himself to stand. Slowly he pulled the gloves off and rid himself of the pants. Chloe had already crawled back and was lying back on the side of the bed he had found her in. Tiredly, Oliver crawled into the bed and collapsed onto his back.

Chloe rolled onto her side, taking note of the pain in her hip as her weight settled on it and the throbbing deep inside her. "That was…fun."

Oliver opened his eyes and cocked an eyebrow at her. "You like being accosted in bed my masked men?"

"No." Chloe laughed and settled her cheek against his slick chest. "Just the Green Arrow."

"Well keep that up and the Green Arrow might be retiring early." She chuckled against him. "But on the other hand it does give me a reason to wear the suit longer if you like it that much."

Chloe grinned and looked up at him. "I like all of you. Oliver Queen and the Green Arrow. You wouldn't be you without both of them."

"Go to sleep." He pressed a kiss against her forehead and reached for the covers. She settled against him quietly to his relief. She wanted all of him, and that's what he'd wanted for the longest time. But now that he found someone that knew everything about him, accepted everything about him, it scared him. She'd been there in front of him for so long, just out of his reach. Through a horrible serious of events he finally had her. It wasn't right that he'd gotten her through other people's pain and suffering, but he couldn't help but refuse to let her go.


	9. Chapter 9

Notes: Yay, all done. This is short and doesn't have a lot to it. So I hope you aren't dissappointed in it, but I didn't really have much left to really offer. So from this point I would like to finish Seeing Her, I thinnk I might have an additional chapter for Movivng On. Maybe. And I have a one shot in mind. So we'll see what's next. Thanks to everyone for their reviews. I'm glad I was able to see this alll the way through.

* * *

"Mr. Queen."

Oliver took a stack of messages and the portfolio from the older woman who was blocking the entrance to his office. He sighed and shoved the messages in his pocket. "Hold my calls."

"Yes sir. Ms. Sullivan is in your office."

Oliver nodded and felt some of the weight lift from his shoulders at the thought of Chloe waiting behind his door. When he opened the it he smiled to himself. "Comfortable?"

Chloe grinned up at him. "Very."

Oliver shut the door and tossed the portfolio to the side. "You know there is a sofa."

"But I would imagine you spent more money on your own chair then any other one in Queen Towers. Which would make me believe that it is the most comfortable." Chloe unfolded her legs and stood up, slipping her shoes back on.

"I can't fault you there." Oliver slid out of his jacket and tossed it to the side. "I'm sorry about lunch."

"It's okay." She stopped in front of him and proceeded to undo the knot of his tie. She waited for him to say something, but he watched her in silence. "What's wrong?"

"Would it be neglectful of me to screw off returning phone calls and reviewing the end of the day stats to go back home with you and crawl into bed?" Her small hands slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck.

Chloe pulled is head down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "What's wrong?"

"Money." Her hands caressed his face and he closed her eyes. "Luthorcorp. Everything." He opened his eyes and stared back down at her. "I know it's Lex."

"You don't know for sure. Tess doesn't exactly play fair."

"I know you don't believe that." Oliver wrapped his hands around her wrists and pulled her hands away.

Over the past month he had worried over nothing but Lex, determined that it was only a matter of time before he struck out at them in some way. "I don't know Oliver. I mean we can't confirm anything, even with all of the resources we have. All we can do is wait and see."

"Your serious right? Wait?" Oliver stepped back from her, no longer wanting her comfort. Her comfort always made him feel safe, complacent. It wasn't the time for that, not when Lex could be out there somewhere. "You mean like when Lex tried to get me killed. Should I wait for that?" Hurt flashed through her eyes and she look away from him. Oliver grabbed her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. "Or maybe I should wait for him to kill you?" She tried to wrench her face away from him but he wouldn't release her. "I'm sure you've done enough on your own to put yourself on Lex's radar. Don't you think now that we're public you've moved up a few notches?"

"Stop." Chloe grabbed his hand and pulled them away. He released her, but she knew it was within his ability no to. He was troubled, that she could see, but that still didn't make it right. She turned from him and walked to where she dropped her purse. "If you don't want my comfort that's fine, but I won't stay to be your punching bag." A hand wrapped around her arm and she stilled.

"I'm sorry." He could see her body tense and he sighed. The last thing he should have been doing was pushing her away. "I didn't mean it like that." But she still didn't turn around. "I don't want to be responsible for something happening to you, not when it was within my power to stop it." Oliver gently pulled at her arm, forcing her to turn and face him. "I can't have anything happen to you. You are the most important thing in my life."

"Nothing is going to happen." But even she wasn't sure of her own words.

"Chloe, nothing you could say is going to ease my worries." He released her arms and cradled her face in both his hands. "I love you, I worry every day that I could lose you."

She'd known he felt it, but it meant so much more to hear him say it. "I love you too." His arms enveloped her, pulling her close to his body. "Do you know how often I'm waiting for the ball to drop, worried that something will happen to you? Everything has been so perfect. I worry all the time that just when I'm happy again I'll lose you. Every night that you go out I worry, scared that you won't come back."

Oliver sighed and rest his cheek on the top of her head. He could hear the tears in her voice as she spoke. He hadn't any right to lash out at her as he had. Not when he knew what pain he put her through and she never said a word. "I'm sorry."

"What if one of those nights that you sneak out and don't even wake me up some thug puts a bullet in you and I won't even know. It's in my head all the time, you laying there dying, and I wouldn't know." Chloe fisted his shirt in one of her hands and slapped his chest. "I love you so much and that makes it hurt even more."

He tightened his arms around her and not knowing what to say just let her cry. Her body shook against him and gasped for breath as she cried. Oliver squeezed his eyes shut, wishing that he hadn't been responsible for her tears. They both knew what they were getting into in the beginning and she would no sooner leave him then he would leave her. But it still wasn't right that she had to put up with him. A lesser person wouldn't, but that's why he had been drawn to her in the first place. When her crying had ceased he gently pushed her away and looked into her tear stained eyes. "I'm going to take you back to my place."

"You need to work." Chloe wiped her face and sniffled.

"Do you really think I can work and let you go home like this? Besides, I have a computer and phone at home you know." Oliver brushed golden strands of hair behind her ears. "Let me just take you home."

There was a hint of pleading in his voice that she could not ignore. He needed her just as much as she needed him. Chloe nodded and found she was able to smile up at him again. His fingers threaded through her hair and grasped the back of her head. She met him half way for a gently kiss.

"I love you." Oliver said again against her lips. "I swear I won't ever leave you."

Chloe smiled against his lips. "I love you too. "


End file.
